What are Meta Tags?

Meta tag information is hidden inside the HTML coding of a web page and is coded specifically to help rank in search engine listings.

Meta tag information commonly includes:

• Page title - the title of the page
• Page description - a brief description of the page content
• Key words - words that are relevant to the page and are key to search engine listings (when searched for)

You can view the meta tags of a web page through your internet browser by clicking 'View', then 'Source'.

Violating the Use of Meta Tags

When inserting Meta tags, make sure that you are only using information and words that are relevant to the page. If you use key words that are trademarks to other companies - although it is not officially illegal - you can be taken to court.

For example, if a local food retailer had a web site and they used key words such as 'Sainsbury's', 'Tesco', and 'Safeway' to take advantage of people searching for those particular companies, it is a direct violation of their trademarks as they have no relevancy to their business. Basically, they are using the success of other companies to make money.

Using Trademarks in Meta Tags Legally

It should be noted that you can use trademarks of other companies if they accurately describe your product. For example an on-line car sales garage can use the words 'Volkswagen' and 'Ford' if they stock such cars.